If you've ever fellated a raspberry, you'll understand.posted by sonofsamiam at 10:54 AM on April 26, 2006

The insoluble fiber in the beans is one of their main health benefits. How are these beans better for you, unless you are starving and need to extract every last bit of sustenance available from them, in which case you will not be able to afford these high tech beans?posted by caddis at 10:59 AM on April 26, 2006

It's not like this would cost all that much more to produce. You'd just be making natto, essentially.posted by rxrfrx at 11:03 AM on April 26, 2006

You guys wouldn't have such a problem with this idea had you shared living space with my freshman roommate.posted by NationalKato at 11:06 AM on April 26, 2006

Oh, and if you use the species of bacteria already used for natto, you'd be adding all sorts of health-promoting compounds. There's been some interesting work done on the subject.posted by rxrfrx at 11:11 AM on April 26, 2006

Fermented black beans? I'm pretty sure the Chinese already invented them. Probably a few hundred or more years ago.posted by TimeFactor at 11:43 AM on April 26, 2006

The nice thing about natto is that it stinks before you eat it.
You can clear a table of sensitive people with two natto handrolls.posted by the Real Dan at 11:45 AM on April 26, 2006

I'd forgotten about the Chinese black beans. Though I don't think I've ever had any that weren't also salted to the point of being more of a condiment than a main course.posted by rxrfrx at 12:29 PM on April 26, 2006

When my graduate advisor was a student he did an internship at Ralston-Purina. He invented a manufacturing process that made dogfood less fart-inducing. It was an enzyme that pre-digested a polysaccharide in corn that dogs can't digest. He used to get a quartely royalty check for like $100. He used to call it his "dog fart check".posted by TimeFactor at 1:20 PM on April 26, 2006

After spending a lot of time in Japan, I'm still not entirely convinced that eating natto isn't just a big practical joke played on all the foreigners. Like behind closed doors they're laughing at us, saying, "I got this American dude to eat rotting soybeans! I told him it was a traditional dish! Can you believe that shit?"posted by Gamblor at 1:47 PM on April 26, 2006

A bit of epazote goes a long way to reducing fartulence, and it tastes good as well.posted by Hubajube at 2:05 PM on April 26, 2006

I picture a future where people watch the timeless classic Blazing Saddles... and they don't get the campfire scene.

This post reminds of the time in a Mexican restaurant when I observed a couple who were obviously on a first date, seemingly from the personals, and the gentleman reaches into his breast pocket and pulls out a small bottle of Beeno and sets it on the table between their plates. I suppose to the right person that would be considered a thoughtful gesture. Thankfully I don't know such a person.posted by StickyCarpet at 2:46 PM on April 26, 2006

I've been doing this for years - native cultures have been doing it for thousands of years. There are tons of things like this we have "unlearned" about food, that we need to re-learn from traditional cultures. See Weston A Price for more tips and info.posted by stbalbach at 2:56 PM on April 26, 2006

Looks like my Beano stock certificates are now only good for one thing, and Le Petomane is out of a job. I tell you, this stinkin' economy is in the toilet.posted by cenoxo at 5:49 PM on April 26, 2006

Sounds like all you need to do is stir a dollop of active-culture yogurt into your beans and soak them for a couple of days. I'll have to give this a try.

I know my evil-ex, who was from India, used to insist on soaking beans for several days before cooking. I always thought that was overkill. Now I think she may have been doing it in self-defense.posted by gregor-e at 6:36 AM on April 27, 2006

I get mostly flatulence free beans by soaking for around 24 hours, changing the water once. They're even more digestible if I sprout them by draining after the soak and rinsing them twice a day. It's not perfect, there is gas, but it's far from the gutwrenching pain unsoaked lima beans cause.

The author of that article didn't do his research. The reduced fiber in the fermented beans has nothing to do with decreasing gas. It's the indigestible sugars. Your intestines can't break these sugars down, so bacteria in your large intestines eats them up, producing gas.

I think I've read another article about these same researchers some time before, where it mentioned that they ground up the beans before fermentation. Not so useful for the home cook. Does soy milk make you fart?posted by stavrogin at 6:31 PM on April 28, 2006

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